Unplug for the Great American Backyard Campout

The National Wildlife Foundation is inviting the nation to sleep outdoors on June 28.

The National Wildlife Federation wants kids and their families to unplug. It’s a part of a single, simple goal: to get over 10 million kids to spend regular amounts of time outdoors.

The Great American Backyard Campout kicks off June 28th. Now in it’s 10th year, the NWF hopes to surpass last year’s participation by getting over 200,000 participants to register onto the website and pledge to camp out on June 28th.

Of course, not everyone can campout that day, but that’s ok. June is Great Outdoors Month, so participants are encouraged to spend some time in June outside.

“We’ve found that kids today are spending half as much time outside than their parents,” says Karoline Hurd, the Director of Events. “Kids between the ages of eight and 18 spend over 7.5 hours a day using entertainment devices. That’s 52 hours per week.”

The NWF believes camping is especially important while children are young. Getting outside and being among nature helps them become healthier, relieves tension, and helps them focus on everyday tasks, especially helpful when it comes to school and homework. “Kids become more creative and less aggressive,” Hurd also said.

The nationwide event features public campouts for participants can join—like one in Discovery Bay, California that attracts over 2000 campers.. While there are currently no public events in Oregon, participants can register their event at the NWF website and invite others to join.

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